Warning: Do Not Avoid the Health-promoting Benefits of Music

Our first exposure to music, in a sense, is the rhythm of our mother’s heartbeat in the womb, becoming our first lullaby after birth. It, therefore, should come as no surprise that music impacts all of us in one form or another. And we are likely to find music around us even when we least expect it.

One example of this is the Third Street Retreat Eatery & Pub. It is a vintage-style, breakfast and lunch cafe in Niagara Falls, New York, and one of those must-see spots for good local food. Besides its appetizing menu selections, the cafe is known for its attractive, rustic interior and the owner’s great interest in music. The music theme was what I found most eye-catching when I visited the cafe two summers ago.

I was fascinated by the walls of the cafe, adorned with album covers of various music artists. The display of many album covers created the right ambiance that brought comfort and nostalgia to me, my family, and the other patrons. I also found that listening to music in the background while looking at the albums, particularly albums of my favorite artists, spoke to the effect that the power of music has on all of us.

The Power of Music

The soothing power of music is well-established. It has a unique link to our emotions so it can be an extremely effective stress management tool.

Music that is slow and calming can have a beneficial effect on our physiological functions, slowing the heart rate, lowering blood pressure, and decreasing the levels ofstress hormones.

Listening to music also can help the brain by improving learning andmemory skills, always useful when we’re under stress. This has come to be known as “The Mozart Effect.”

The benefits of music can be found in healthcare settings in the form of music therapy, a professional discipline dedicated to the clinical application of music “to address physical, emotional, cognitive, and social needs of individuals” (www.musictherapy.org).

No matter your music taste or the setting where music is heard, the health-promoting benefits of listening to music are many. So indulge yourself in the pleasure of listening to your favorite genres.